


Tentillum (EDITED - art added]

by NYWCgirl



Category: White Collar
Genre: Angst, Gen, Hallucinations, Hurt/Comfort, Medication
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-21
Updated: 2017-12-21
Packaged: 2019-02-18 01:14:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13089345
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NYWCgirl/pseuds/NYWCgirl
Summary: Tentacles are all over Neal and he can´t make sense of them. Where is he? And what are they?





	Tentillum (EDITED - art added]

**Author's Note:**

> This story fills my `tentacles´ square on my h/c bingo card.  
> The word tentillum literally means "little tentacle".
> 
> Cookiegirl made me this gorgeous cover for fandom stockings 2017. Thank you!

 

Neal doesn´t know how he got here, but he knows he doesn´t want to be here. He only catches glimpses of the space they are keeping him in and it is sterile looking, light and quiet.

He has begged and pleaded with the white aliens, but they don´t respond to him. He can hear them talk, but he doesn´t seem to be able to understand them. They touch him in a detached way in places he doesn´t want to get touched.

He must have exhausted himself trying to figure out what is going on, because he suddenly startles awake when tentacles seem to entwine him. He tries to fight them, because they are in his mouth and nose and even in more private places, and he doesn´t want them. He needs to get them out before they consume him completely.

When he thinks he is alone, he tries to grab the one that is stealing his breath and after a couple of uncoordinated tries, he is able to get one of the tentacles in his left hand. He gives it a fierce tug and pain rips through his throat, but it is out and he does his best to take large gulps of air.

The aliens must be monitoring him, because he can hear alarms wail and suddenly they are all over him again. He can feel wetness on his face and tries to fight them. Because he knows they will help the tentacle invade him again. But the more he tries to fight them, the more he tires himself out. He can hear voices again and tries to listen to what they are saying, but it is gibberish and he can´t make sense of any of this. He tries to explain to them that he doesn´t know what they want. But a warmth spreads through him, pulling him back in a drug induced sleep.

The next time he wakes up, he realizes they restrained him. And they secured him very well. His wrists and ankles are restrained and there was even a belt over his midsection, keeping him form lifting himself of the bed. The tentacles have won, they are all over him and there is nothing he can do about them.

 

* * *

 

‘Neal?’

Peter checks again if he just imagined Neal´s eyes fluttering. It is just before the end of visiting hours at the ICU and he is waiting to be kicked out again. When Neal was brought in, he tried to reason with the nursing staff, but they don´t make exceptions, all their patients are critically ill and they all have loved ones that want to stay with them. So Peter had to accept that he is only allowed to come visit twice a day for thirty minutes.

It has been a long three days since Neal was hit by a car. They had been out for lunch and were just on their way back to the office, when all of a sudden, out of nowhere a car swept Neal of his feet. Peter closes his eyes, he can still hear the sickening thud when Neal landed next to him on the pavement.

It had been determined that there had been no foul play, just an elderly person who had an episode and lost control of their vehicle. Neal was just at the wrong place at the wrong time.

Neal had been rushed to the hospital and immediately operated on. The doctors called it a success. And told Peter, Neal would live, all he had to do was wake up and heal. But they had also explained it would take some time, since they wanted to keep Neal sedated to give his body a chance to heal.

Peter studies Neal still form, there are tubes everywhere. It appears that Neal is being kept alive by some large tentacle being that feeds him nutrients and medication and disposes of his waste.

There, Neal´s eyes flutter again.

‘Neal, are you with us? Come on, open your eyes.’

Peter doesn´t need to hit the call button, the ICU doesn´t give patients a lot of privacy. The doors are open and the nurses are within a couple of yards of their patients. Lorry, Neal´s duty nurse, gets up when she sees the increase in heart rate.

‘Is Neal waking up?’ She smiles at Peter.

‘I guess, his eyes flutter.’

‘That is a good sign. Can you open your eyes for me, Neal?’

She rubs his hand and arm and Neal slowly opens his eyes to slits, Peter can see that he is trying to see who is talking to him.

‘Hey Buddy, there you are. Good to have you back.’

‘Don´t try to talk, you have a breathing tube. I will call for the doctor so she can determine if it can be removed. It is good to have you back, now rest.’

Lorry adjusts the blanket on top of Neal since the restraints prevent Neal from adjusting his blanket. The restraints turned out to be necessary after Neal ripped out his breathing tube. When Peter had asked why Neal had done it, The doctor had explained that some of the medication they were giving Neal could cause hallucinations.

Peter can see Neal´s is fighting to keep his eyes open. He pats Neal on the arm and makes sure he is in Neal´s direct line of vision.

‘Rest Neal, we will be here when you wake up.’


End file.
